No boot to NVMe on new server; which option?

[Bageland2000]

Hello! I just bought a SuperMicro SuperServer 6028U-TR4T+. It's my first enterprise grade server, and I'm having a ton of fun learning on it. I also bought Oracle Samsung F320 3.2TB (FW: KPYAJR3Q) drive, and installed Proxmox on it. I realized afterward that the Supermicro Super X10DRU-i+ doesn't have an option to boot to PCIe NVMe. I've researched a few options, none of them seem like the obvious answer, so I'm curious what the community here thinks.

• Install Proxmox on a separate, small-ish SSD installed inside the case on the internal SATA slot, and use the NVMe drive as dedicated storage for VMs and containers.
• Install a custom EUFI/BIOS onto the X10 board that allows for PCIe NVMe boot
• Use the "rEFInd" utility to (I believe I understand) first boot to a thumb drive/small SSD, then use that to point the machine to the NVMe so it'll boot to that.

Are there any other options? Which would you recommend? Thanks for the help!

 

[i386]

Satadoms

 

[Bageland2000]

Oh cool! OK, yes this is clearly the solution I want.

Checking eBay, seeing 16GB modules for like... $60!? Why so expensive? Is there a better place to be looking?

 

[nabsltd]

Checking eBay, seeing 16GB modules for like... $60!? Why so expensive? Is there a better place to be looking?

64GB SATA DOM are less than $50, at least in the US.

 

[Bageland2000]

I guess I was looking at the SuperMicro SuperDOM drives. Are these just as good/reliable?

 

[nabsltd]

The difference is that the SuperDOM can be used in special SATA ports on SuperMicro motherboards that provide power through the SATA port. Some other SATA DOMs can also do this, but I don't know which ones specifically.

The rest get power via a cable attached to the DOM. I use that method with SuperMicro motherboards and standard InnoDisk DOMs.

 

[Bageland2000]

Cool, I just found a 16GB one listed for $25 on eBay.

 

[nexox]

Did you update the BIOS? There's some cryptic note about an NVMe fix in the last release, might be all you need

 

[Bageland2000]

Did you update the BIOS? There's some cryptic note about an NVMe fix in the last release, might be all you need

I checked; I'm 99% sure I'm on the latest 3.5 BIOS. I'll check this afternoon again. I'm assuming you're referring to "Checked NVMe_SUPPORT for NATIVE_NVME_ENABLE item."?

Wondering if there's just something I'm missing in the BIOS settings to be able to "see" the NVMe boot option?

 

[BackupProphet]

You have to use UEFI

 

[Bageland2000]

You have to use UEFI

I have the boot settings set to only use UEFI. I don't see the drive in the boot options unfortunately.

 

[BackupProphet]

Have you installed something on them? Nothing will show up if nothing is installed.

 

[Bageland2000]

Have you installed something on them? Nothing will show up if nothing is installed.

Yes, I installed Proxmox VE on it.

 

[BackupProphet]

And it is a UEFI installation with UEFI partition?

 

[Bageland2000]

And it is a UEFI installation with UEFI partition?

Good question, I'll validate that. I'm almost positive when I installed from the installation media, I booted that via EUFI. So I'm assuming it defaulted to install that way, but I can't be sure, so I'll go back in and reinstall assuring it does a EUFI installation.

 

[Bageland2000]

How do I check if the Proxmox install is on UEFI mode? When I booted the installation media, it was to EUFI, so I'm assuming that's the way it installed? I went through the installation process again and didn't see an option to select the installation type...

 

[MonumentNetworking]

Edited: After further testing the x10SDV, this board allows booting the onboard nvme if set to uefi only mode in the boot settings. My below post is not accurate...

"There is no nvme boot on the whole x10 series. There is some modified x9 bios files out there to support boot from nvme but i do not think there are any x10 ones."

 

[i386]

There is no nvme boot on the whole x10 series.

Bullshit.
X10SDV (xeon d soc bases series) has native m.2 slots.
X10SRL & X10SRA can boot via adapters from m.2, u.2/3 and add on cards.

 

[MonumentNetworking]

I wish you would share how to boot onboard nvme on x10SDV as you would solve the issue for myself and several others as well. I personally own 5 or more of these boards. As far as I know it can only be done using a pcie adapter card.

 

[Bageland2000]

There is no nvme boot on the whole x10 series. There is some modified x9 bios files out there to support boot from nvme but i do not think there are any x10 ones.

That's not true.